Kite Medical featured in The Irish Times

Having a sick child is a huge worry for parents, and it is even worse if getting to the bottom of what is wrong involves putting the child through a distressing procedure.

Kidney reflux is the most common urological disorder in childhood, affecting 2 per cent of young children. It is most prevalent from six months to five years of age. The condition may resolve as the child gets older, but left undiagnosed and untreated it can lead to permanent kidney damage and ultimately to kidney failure.

As of now diagnosing the condition is painful and invasive, and takes place in a hospital setting.

Sarah Loughney is a bioengineer who became familiar with difficulties surrounding the diagnosis of kidney reflux while participating in the Enterprise Ireland-backed BioInnovate Fellowship programmed in 2012. This programme encourages participants to develop medical innovations to meet identified clinical needs.

Loughney has now developed a non-invasive diagnostic solution for kidney reflux that removes the need for complicated procedures and a hospital visit.